Festive Penguin

01/01/2022

Happy New Year! Sadly, it’s the day when Festive Penguin goes back into its box but a huge *thank you* to everyone who watched a live stream, shared the news with friends, and most of all donated to our fundraiser. You brilliant people helped to raise £1,110 for Young Carers (supported by Carers Support Centre Bristol and South Gloucestershire). When I setup this page I hoped we could get to £200 if we were lucky!

A big 👏👏👏 to the lovely folk who helped make Festive Penguin a reality. Jay Rozanski, Ioan Bustean and Sam Drew for their technical brilliance, Katherine Jewkes for team assembly & emotional support, Jo Verrent Penguin Patron emeritus, and Claire Harper for putting up with all of this when I was meant to be on a social media blackout this Xmas.

This page will stay up with all the old live streams kept as you never know when you’ll need a watch 7 hours of footage of an inflatable penguin sat on a scaffold tower.

Here’s to a positive 2022 for you all.
Jonathan x

31/12/2021

Overjoyed to share that we have now hit our target of £1,000 in donations! THANKS to all of you who have donated! It really will make a difference to the support of Young carers in Bristol.

There’s just one more live stream to go! This is the big one as we’ll be streaming from 4.30pm to 12.30am. Yes, that’s right, you can ring in the new year with Festive Penguin bringing the party vibes…*

We may have hit our target, but if you know anyone who still wants to donate, please encourage them to do so. This ain’t over until the penguin deflates….

(*ok, admittedly Festive Penguin may still be a little static during this party.)

30/12/2021

Very pleased to report that Festive Penguin is back back BACK. A heavy duty process of water removal has taken place and as a loyal follower here is a behind the scenes shot of our Penguin having a wee. Hopefully, FB will not ban this….

Online from 2.45pm today. We are £50 from the £1,000 target - so close! Thank you for all your donations and, if you have a minute, do share this page as we try and bring in those pounds to support young carers in Bristol.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/festivepenguin

29/12/2021

**IMPORTANT FESTIVE PENGUIN UPDATE WED 29 DEC** Due to heavy rain overnight and severe breeziness forecast later today Festive Penguin is unable to inflate and will be having the day off. All being well, the live stream will return tomorrow Thu 30 Dec at 2pm.

We appreciate this will be disappointing news. If it helps you can rewatch every stream to date on our page.

Plus, the deflated penguin doesn’t have to stop you donating! After a surge in giving yesterday we are so close to our target of £1,000 to support young carers aged 8-18 years old in Bristol.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/festivepenguin

25/12/2021

Happy Christmas! Wishing everyone a good day, whatever it is you have planned. If covid has messed up your day, here’s hoping that you can make the best of it regardless.

Join me from 11.30am to 7.30pm today. Chill out with my live stream whilst peeling your spuds! Oh, and to celebrate I’ve been joined by a couple of inflatable friends…

24/12/2021

It’s going to be a wet one for today’s live stream. Expecting a certain amount of camera fog potentially reflecting everyone’s state of mind this week….

Donations currently stand at £810! Thanks to everyone in the last 24 hours that has contributed to this total. 🐧x

23/12/2021

Festive Penguin arise! Just getting ready for the 2pm stream.... weather conditions: wet, breezy. Uh Oh.

23/12/2021

Festive Penguin is in today’s Bristol24/7! Grateful thanks for their support of this fundraising effort, which has helped up exceed a massive £700 in donations for young carers. See you from 2pm today. Wet and windy so anything could happen….

This Christmas is the second appearance of the bobble-hatted bird

21/12/2021

£480 now raised on FB and Just Giving! Thank you everyone for tuning in today. 🐧👍

20/12/2021

Thanks so much for all of your donations. Across FB and Just Giving you have already helped to raise £265. I'm off to bed now, but see you again from 2pm tomorrow. 🐧 x

18/12/2021

Pandemic living has not been that easy, but installing and maintaining Festive Penguin last December cheered me up no end. It's cheered me up and anyone that passes by it this December too.

Hopefully Festive Penguin's stoic yet colourful persona can cheer you up too, and that is why this year it is going "global" this year. Thanks to the help and support of a brilliant team of experts, you can view Festive Penguin each day between 2pm and 9.30pm. Unless it is really windy, then the penguin might have to have a little rest in case they take flight.

One thing I wondered is if you have enjoyed Festive Penguin perhaps you'd donate a bit of money for a good cause this festive season? I find it hard to believe that in the UK we have a situation where children and young people under 18 years end up being carers for their family members. At exactly the moment when their lives should be full of the trials and tribulations of growing up, they are looking after someone in their family who has a disability, a long term illness, or is affected by mental ill health or substance misuse.

Young carers may look after parents, care for a brother or sister, or another family member. The average age of a young carer is 12 and they take on responsibilities normally only expected of an adult. They can be emotional withdrawn and depressed, as well as face huge disadvantages to their own education and personal development.

I'm therefore raising money for Young Carers, run by the Carers Support Centre, so every penny you lob into this Just Giving pot will be paid to them. Their work offers crucial help and support to children aged 8-18, their families and professionals working with young carers in Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

Thanks! Jojo xx
(p.s. Gift Aid your donation so it's worth even more)